


The One Where Chandler Needs A Favor

by softiejace



Category: Friends (TV)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Making Out, Neck Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-09 19:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12283188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softiejace/pseuds/softiejace
Summary: Chandler wants Joey to be his fake date to his mother's party. Joey secretly wants to be his real date. Unexpectedly, Chandler's clumsiness helps both overcome their inhibitions.-Basically, I just wanted to write them making out in the reclining armchairs, okay...





	The One Where Chandler Needs A Favor

„Come on, Joey!“

„Nope.“

„As a favor to me!“

„Not doing it.“

„Not even for your best friend?“

Joey reclines his armchair slightly, turning his face away. “I’m not gonna be your pretend date to your mom’s party.”

„Oh for God’s sake, you’re an actor!“

“And you’re not paying me.”

Chandler stops making puppy eyes at him and stands up straight, sighing.

They’ve been arguing about this for ten minutes now, ever since Chandler’s gotten off the phone with his mother. Like it’s Joey’s fault he couldn’t find a girl to go with him. He won’t be the butt of the joke; he simply won’t. It’s too close to what he really wants…

“Look. Joe,” Chandler says, and Joey stares at his neckline, frowning. “My mom hasn’t celebrated her birthday this big since dad left us. This is a big deal to me. Things have been going so well lately and I just… I don’t wanna mess this up. I told her I had a date and I don’t wanna disappoint her. If she finds out I’m still single, it’s gonna confirm all her worries, like that my dad leaving the family permanently damaged me – which it probably did, of course, but...”

Joey raises an eyebrow. “And if you turn up with _me_ , ya think that _won’t_ make her worry?”

“Okay, that’s a valid question and I would’ve thought the same but, uhh, I… kind of told her I’m dating you.”

Joey's breath falters. “…You what?”

Chandler starts pacing on the spot as he explains.

“She asked whether I was seeing anyone and I was being a little secretive because well, I’m not – but then she kept bugging me and suddenly she goes, ‘Oh, I know why you’re not telling me – you’re seeing a man, aren’t you!’ And then she went on this ramble about how that’s fine with her and she doesn’t want my dad’s failures to stand in my way and make me feel like I can’t be myself around her, and this went on for so long she didn’t even believe me afterwards when I told her I wasn’t gay. Imagine that! My mother’s convinced I’m gay!”

“Huh.”

“So, uhh, yeah, when she asked who exactly it was, the first person that popped into my head was… you.”

He looks apologetic now, and Joey can feel himself caving in. Maybe it’s also got something to do with his party outfit. Because Joey’s not going to lie, that suit looks good on him.

The reason he’s refusing to play Chandler’s date isn’t because the thought repulses him. No, on the contrary – it’s way too tempting. He’s been thinking about Chandler that way for as long as he can remember and there’ve been times where he was almost sure Chandler felt the same, but the latter’s daddy issues and problems with women have made him deeply repress whatever possibility the two of them could have. At least his mother seems to confirm Joey’s hopes.

And now Chandler wants him to be his fake date. He wouldn’t admit it, but it’s tearing at his heart. Chandler means so much to him. He’s his best friend, for heaven’s sake. Joey doesn’t mean to be dramatic – that just sort of comes with his profession – but he doesn’t think he’d survive being turned down by Chandler Bing.

On the other hand, maybe this is his only chance. What if fake dating is as close as he’ll ever get? At least he’ll get to hold his hand, right? Maybe even sneak in a kiss on the cheek, depending on how convincing Chandler wants it to be?

Joey sighs, glancing up at Chandler’s desperate, desperately handsome face.

“Alright, I’ll do it,” he lifts a hand in defeat, “but you owe me.”

“Great! Thanks, man!” Chandler exclaims, pumping his fist. “Okay, wait, what do I owe you?”

Joey swallows, trying not to think of all the inappropriate suggestions he could make right now. Money, he reminds himself, Chandler means money.

“I – uhh. I guess, like… 20 bucks would be alright?”

Chandler pulls his hand out of his pocket, holding up a crumpled bill. “That’s five. Okay, let me check my wallet. Think I already put it in my suit jacket…”

He reaches across Joey to where his jacket is draped over the other chair’s back.

“Chandler, look out, don’t –“

There’s a crash and then Joey’s chair tips back into its most reclined position.

“…trip,” Joey finishes softly.

Chandler’s lying on top of him.

_Chandler. Is lying. On top of him._

Joey’s heart picks up pace.

Their faces are so close Joey could count his eyelashes. Not that that’s the first thing that comes to mind.

“Sorry, man,” Chandler says a little belatedly and a little breathlessly. “Almost kneed you in the crotch there.”

Joey lets out a puff of laughter. “That would’ve ruined the mood,” he says thoughtlessly – and holds his breath.

Oh, crap.

“The… mood?”

Yep, his heart is definitely beating faster now. With panic.

“The, uhh – party… mood?” He tries, blinking rapidly, feeling his cheeks burn, as well as every part of his body currently in touch with Chandler’s.

“Oh! Y-yeah. That. Would’ve been… pretty much… ruined.”

Chandler trails off, his gaze flitting down to Joey’s lips.

Wait a minute. He’s glancing at Joey’s lips? Why would he be – unless…?

“While we’re here –” Joey starts, his voice nearly breaking with how nervous he is.

Chandler moves to hold himself up on his elbows, but makes no attempt to get up.

Joey clears his throat. “We should probably have some practice if we wanna convince your mom that we’re… dating.”

“Oh, right. My mom. I mean,” Chandler rambles on. “That sounds compelling. I mean as in convincing. Not as in enticing…”

“Chandler.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

Chandler does. And then he closes that last bit of distance and presses his mouth to Joey’s.

It’s a shy first kiss. His chapped lips move carefully against Joey’s until the latter reaches up and winds his hand into Chandler’s hair, crushing him down into a proper one. He flicks his tongue against Chandler’s bottom lip, sliding it in when the other man sighs and opens his mouth. Chandler tastes like the pepperoni pizza he had about an hour ago and goddamn, if that isn’t the sexiest thing Joey’s ever tasted.

He can sense Chandler starting to pull away but he’s not having it. Not now that they’ve finally made it to their first kiss, one that Chandler initiated no less. He lets him break their lip-lock but only to kiss his way towards the spot below his ear.

“Joey –“

He can feel the skin move when Chandler swallows.

“Tell me to stop.”

Chandler says nothing, merely transfers his weight onto one knee so he can move his other leg from between Joey’s to the space next to the armrest, straddling him properly.

Joey smiles.

“Or you could make it up to me like this,” he breathes against the sensitive skin of Chandler’s neck, feeling the other man shudder slightly as his tongue darts out.

“I would… prefer that option… I think.”

Oh, Jesus. Joey’s heart and crotch both show rather clear reactions to that statement.

Chandler’s hands come up to frame Joey’s face but before he can lean in and kiss him again, he looks into Joey’s eyes.

“Just so we’re on the same page here –“

Joey swallows hard. “Yeah?”

“This isn’t just practice anymore, right? I mean we’re both feeling something here.”

And he presses his hips against Joey’s to drive the point home.

“Definitely,” Joey gasps, digging his fingers into the leather of the armrests. “And I’d rather not do this in front of your mom.”

Chandler splutters a laugh, rocking forward a little, which forces another moan out of Joey and a creaking noise out of the chair.

“Okay. Good. Umm. Speaking of my mom – how much time until we have to leave?”

Joey glances at the clock on the VCR player, remembering the time Chandler had mentioned. Damn it. “Uhh… minus 15 minutes?”

Chandler bites down on his lip.

“God, you know how hot you look when you do that?” Joey blurts.

A blush settles on Chandler’s cheeks.

“Well, I guess we can be a little fashionably late?”

Joey hides his smile by kissing the nearest part of Chandler he can reach, which happens to be the base of his neck.

“Oh, and Joey?”

He hums against the skin.

“Make sure to leave some marks there. That’ll definitely add to our cover. Not that it’s technically a cover anymore. But. Uhh…”

“You just like gettin’ hickeys?”

He feels Chandler take a breath as he runs a hand through Joey’s hair.

“Yes. Yes, I do.”

Joey grins and gets to work.


End file.
